The NFL owners decided to pass a change in the overtime rule that would give the team that loses the coin toss at the start of overtime to get a possession if the coin-toss winning team scores a field goal with the first possession.

The proposal was passed by a vote of 28-4 as written just for the postseason, but the owners have decided to discuss adopting the changes for the regular season at their next meeting, in May in Dallas.

The Competition Committee recommended the change in a vote of 6-2, and commissioner Roger Goodell supported the plan and was able to secure enough votes to get the move passed on Tuesday, a day before the expected Wednesday vote.

The reason for the change was the increased accuracy of kickers since 1993. In 1994, the NFL moved kickoffs from the 35 to the 30, which created better field position for the teams that won the coin toss and received the kickoffs. Since 1994, kickers have had better than a 50 percent accuracy level on field goals longer than 50 yards.

"We've had this discussion for a number of years," Competition co-chairman Rich McKay said. " We feel this year's proposal gave us the opportunity to a pretty good rule. Statistically we felt it needed to be changed. It wasn't creating the fairest result as far asfield goal accuracy field goal distance and drive starts."

McKay said one of the selling points was it maintained the sudden death aspect of overtime.

This is not a one-year experiment. The vote is a permanent change to the overtime rule, which was established in 1974 to minimize tied games.

If there is discussion about taking this overtime change to involve regular season games, McKay didn't rule out the possibility to be part of the 2010 regular season, but he doubted that a regular-season change would pass.

Chris Mortensen is ESPN's senior NFL analyst. John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5022064

sew091472

03-23-2010, 05:38 PM

The reason for the change was the increased accuracy of kickers since 1993. In 1994, the NFL moved kickoffs from the 35 to the 30, which created better field position for the teams that won the coin toss and received the kickoffs. Since 1994, kickers have had better than a 50 percent accuracy level on field goals longer than 50 yards.

I thought the overtime rules were fine the way they were. Why not just move the kickoff spot from the 30 back to the 35 yard line instead?

SteelCityKid5

03-23-2010, 05:55 PM

It's something different. Now we kind of don't need to hear losing fans say that the other team got the ball first. It evens the playing field a bit.

SnakeEyes43

03-23-2010, 09:05 PM

This is for the best. I hope this eventually comes to the regular season as well. If you think about the new OT, it ultimately is good for teams, like us, with strong defenses. This is a good change imo.

StlersGuy

03-23-2010, 09:26 PM

This is for the best. I hope this eventually comes to the regular season as well. If you think about the new OT, it ultimately is good for teams, like us, with strong defenses. This is a good change imo.

i agree and think we will see it in the reg season after this year

MattyVfromCT

03-23-2010, 09:28 PM

i have mixed feelings about it but the more i think about it i kinda like this rule change. i hate seeing games decided on field goals in overtime. especially when a team is moving the ball at will, gets inside the 20 and decides to kick it on downs other than 4th. this way it actually makes you go out and WIN the game.